Palmer Park Concept Plan Environment and Infrastructure Services Department Infrastructure and Delivery Services Division

Design Inspiration - The History of Stagecoach and Train Travel in Richmond HillStagecoach TravelOperation of the first stagecoaches along Yonge Street began in 1828, providing passenger transport and mail delivery between Toronto and Barrie. Until 1840, horse-drawn wagons were the common mode of transportation. John Palmer purchased the stagecoach line in 1876 and operated ‘Palmer’s Bus Line despite competition from the railway until 1880. A one-way stagecoach trip from Toronto to Lake Simcoe took 6-7 hours to complete. The slow rate of travel encouraged frequent stops for refreshment and lodging, spurring the development of many hotels and taverns along Yonge Street. The Palmer family operated ‘Palmer House’, a hotel and tavern located on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill, which provided complementary services to the Palmer Busline.

Train TravelThe Ontario Simcoe and Huron Railway completed its inaugural trip from Toronto to Aurora in 1863, becoming the first regular steam train to operate in Upper Canada. With the station located 6km west of the village, the railway had bypassed Richmond Hill. Local stagecoach lines did continue to operate for some time, transporting mail and passengers between the station and the village, as well as between Richmond Hill and Toronto.

The stagecoach business in the village met its end when the interurban electric railway along Yonge Street reached Richmond Hill. The first electrical train arrived in Richmond Hill from Toronto along Yonge Street in 1896. Travel time was reduced from 3 hours by stagecoach to 45 minutes by train. The line was at its maximum length between 1909 and 1914 running between Toronto and Lake Simcoe with the Richmond Hill station located on the north-east corner of Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue. While electric train travel caused the demise of the Richmond Hill stagecoach industry, other trade in the village flourished.

A journey through the evolution of stagecoach and train travel in the City of Richmond Hill. Playground elements, site furnishings, and landscape elements reinforce the park theme.

The journey begins at the ‘stagecoach’ junior play area, complete with a replica stagecoach and horses. The adjacent seating area includes a wagon wheel motif and horseshoe imprints in the decorative paving. Impressions reminiscent of horseshoes and wagon ruts left behind by stagecoach wheels meander along the walkway which encircles the junior play area.

Train track impressions lead the way along the pedestrian walkway to the ‘train’ senior play area. A steam train play structure, ‘hand-car’ see-saw, and rail road crossing signal evoke images of the steam train heritage in Richmond Hill.

The shade structure, centrally located within the paved seating area between the ‘Stagecoach’ and ‘Train’ play areas, harkens back to the ‘Palmer House’, the hotel and tavern once operated by the Palmer family on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill. Ornamentation, including the iconic criss-cross railings and curved brackets reflect the architectural styling of the original Palmer House. The Palmer House provided food and lodging to both stagecoach and train travelers in Richmond Hill throughout the years.

Palmer Bus Line Poster

Last Operating Richmond Hill Stagecoach Toronto and York Radial Railway Company Track Map

Palmer House

Palmer House and the Radial Railway - Yonge Street

Proposed Site Features

Bench Picnic Table Bench on Seat Wall Trash Receptacle Bike Rack

Shade Structure Pedestrian Light Train Track Pattern Horseshoe Inlay Wagon Wheel Motif

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Legend: 1 Entrance 2 ‘Palmer House’ Shade Structure 3 Junior ‘Stagecoach’ Play Area 4 Senior ‘Train’ Play Area 5 Seating Area 6 Walkway - Train Track Pattern - 2.4m Wide 7 Walkway - Wagon Wheel Rut Pattern - 2.4m Wide 8 Walkway - 1.6m Wide 9 Mini Soccer Fields 10 Parking Lot (32 Spaces) 11 Vegetated Filter Strip (bioswale)

CentralLibrary

HillcrestMall

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Go Train

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St Joseph's CatholicElementary School

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David DunlapObservatory

Richmond HillChristian Academy

Sixteenth AvePublic School

School-Private

David DunlapObservatory Park

Gapper Park

SouthviewPark

BridgeviewPark

BridgeviewCordone Park

HillsviewPark

Harding Park

Palmer ParkLennox ParkGlenbrae Park

Miles HillParkette

Fulton Parkette

Essex Parkette

Elvis StojkoArena

DovestonePark

Doncrest ValleyOpen Space Corridor

Walter ScottPublic School

L.M. McConaghySenior's Centre

NightstarBridge

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DR

ICK

RO

AD E

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Horner Park

Unity Park

Amos WrightPark

BaifPark

BayviewParkette

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RAI

LWAY

VanderburghPark

Town Park

Existing Parks

Existing Schools

Existing Facilities(Malls, Community Centres, Etc.)

Existing Open Space Corridors

Rivers/Streams

LEGEND Park: Recreation Facilities:Bridgeview Cordone Park NoneBridgeview Park Combination Playground, Basketball Skills Court, Splash PadDavid Dunlap Observatory Park FutureDovestone Park Junior & Senior Playground, Full Basketball CourtEssex Park Junior PlaygroundFulton Parkette Junior & Senior Playground, Half Basketball CourtGapper Park Junior & Senior Playgrounds, Mini Soccer FieldGlenbrae Park Junior & Senior PlaygroundsHarding Park Junior & Senior Playgrounds, Mini Soccer Field, Senior Softball, Basketball Skills CourtHillsview Park Basketball Skills CourtPalmer Park Junior & Senior Playgrounds, Mini Soccer FieldsLennox Park Junior & Senior PlaygroundsMiles Hill Parkette NoneSouthview Park NoneVanderburgh Park Junior & Senior Playground

Trail

Future Parks

Rail Corridor

Parks

Open Space

Environment and Infrastructure Services DepartmentParks Design and Construction Section

scale: 1:5000

NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT - BLOCK #23

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